REDjet heads to T’dad next month
Wednesday July 20 2011 | 06:00 AM

COME AUGUST, 8 REDJet – the Barbados low cost carrier – will commence scheduled services between this country and Trinidad and Tobago four days a week.

This was revealed yesterday (Tuesday) by the Airline’s CEO Ian Burns after REDJet was given the all clear to fly into the twin-island Republic. In addition, beginning next week the airline will be putting on flights to beef up the traffic for both Crop Over and the Rihanna show. 

Furthermore, he said that REDJet will be launching services between Port of Spain and Guyana and between Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica. “There are two routes we will be launching in the future,” Burns announced noting also that while they had heard about approval to fly into Jamaica REDJet had not yet been informed officially.

“As a Barbadian carrier, we are now entitled to fly not only to Trinidad but to points beyond that as well,” said Burns.

He told the media that fares will come down, noting that last year with only one carrier on the route to Guyana, the average fare was US$500. “You can now get a fare with the same carrier for approximately half of that,” he explained.

Burns stated that REDJet is about giving everyone the ability to fly and that they will be bringing significant economic growth, growing the markets and other benefits including social benefits to the region and not just to Barbados.

“So we believe it is a win-win situation for everyone,” according to him.

He said that based on comments made by the Barbados Minister of International Business and Transport, there is a commitment by Trinidad and Tobago to open skies policies. “This is great news for everyone, it is great news for consumers because it allows competition into the market. It shows a change in policy within the region and it should be welcomed,” said the REDJet official.

While saying that it does not achieve much by dwelling in the past, the preferred not to dwell on the past, Burns told a news conference that this new development represents a future for aviation in the Caribbean.

Burns said that the issue of safety arose as a result of the Barbados Civil Aviation Department not been granted Category One status by the Federal Aviation Authority out of the United States. Saying this had nothing to do with REDJet, the CEO declared that Civil Aviation authorities in both Trinidad and Tobago and in Jamaica did want to satisfy themselves in relation to the Barbados certification process and the ongoing governance of REDJet.

“REDJet is now the most reviewed airline in the Caribbean region and we are delighted that the Minister’s statements in Trinidad confirming that REDJet meets the most stringent safety standards.

“Our aircraft have been working for American Airlines up until we acquired them last year,” he said, while noting they were certified by the FAA last year and similar authorities in Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica.